Posted: October 26th, 2023

Study on the positive measures to eliminate substandard ships in China

Study on the positive measures to eliminate substandard ships in China

Substandard ships are vessels that do not comply with the international standards of safety, security and environmental protection. They pose a serious threat to the marine environment, human health and the global economy. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), substandard ships account for about 10% of the world’s merchant fleet and are responsible for more than 80% of maritime accidents and pollution incidents.

China is one of the largest shipbuilding and shipping nations in the world, with more than 5,000 registered vessels and over 300 shipyards. However, China also faces the challenge of eliminating substandard ships from its fleet and improving its maritime safety record. In recent years, China has taken various positive measures to address this issue, such as:

– Implementing stricter regulations and inspections. China has adopted the Maritime Safety Law, the Regulations on Ship Inspection and other relevant laws and regulations to enhance its legal framework for ship safety and pollution prevention. China has also joined the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control, which is a regional agreement among 21 maritime authorities to eliminate substandard ships through harmonized inspections. In 2020, China inspected more than 13,000 foreign ships and detained 378 substandard ones, ranking first among the Tokyo MOU members.

– Promoting green shipbuilding and recycling. China has established the Green Shipbuilding Action Plan, which aims to improve the energy efficiency, emission reduction and environmental performance of new ships. China has also ratified the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which sets standards for the design, construction, operation and recycling of ships. China has developed a number of green ship recycling facilities that comply with the convention’s requirements.

– Enhancing international cooperation and exchange. China has actively participated in the IMO’s activities and initiatives related to ship safety and environmental protection, such as the Global Maritime Energy Efficiency Partnership (GloMEEP) project, the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database and the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS). China has also established bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms with other countries and regions, such as the China-EU Maritime Transport Agreement, the China-US Maritime Consultation Mechanism and the China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Center.

These positive measures have contributed to the elimination of substandard ships in China and improved its maritime safety performance. According to the IMO’s statistics, China’s very serious maritime casualty rate decreased from 0.24 per 100 million gross tonnage in 2010 to 0.08 in 2019, lower than the global average of 0.12. China’s oil spillage rate also decreased from 0.16 per 100 million gross tonnage in 2010 to 0.04 in 2019, lower than the global average of 0.07.

However, there are still some challenges and difficulties for China to completely eliminate substandard ships, such as:

– The lack of uniform standards and criteria for defining and identifying substandard ships. Different countries and regions may have different interpretations and applications of the international conventions and codes related to ship safety and environmental protection. This may lead to inconsistencies and discrepancies in the inspection and enforcement of substandard ships.

– The high cost and low efficiency of ship inspection and detention. The inspection and detention of substandard ships may involve multiple authorities, agencies and stakeholders, such as port state control officers, flag state administrations, classification societies, ship owners, operators and insurers. The coordination and communication among these parties may be time-consuming and complex, resulting in delays and disputes.

– The insufficient incentives and penalties for ship owners and operators to comply with the standards. The economic benefits of operating substandard ships may outweigh the risks and costs of being inspected and detained. Some ship owners and operators may resort to fraudulent practices, such as changing flags, names or certificates, to evade inspection and detection.

Therefore, China needs to further strengthen its efforts and measures to eliminate substandard ships, such as:

– Developing more clear and consistent standards and criteria for defining and identifying substandard ships. China should work with other countries and regions to harmonize their interpretations and applications of the international conventions and codes related to ship safety and environmental protection. China should also update its own laws and regulations to reflect the latest developments and best practices in this field.

– Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of ship inspection and detention. China should enhance its capacity building for port state control officers, flag state administrations and classification societies. China should also improve its information sharing and data analysis systems for ship inspection and detention. China should also streamline its procedures and processes for ship inspection and detention.

– Increasing the incentives and penalties for ship owners and operators to comply with the standards. China should provide more financial support and technical assistance for ship owners
and operators to upgrade their ships’ safety
and environmental performance.
China should also impose more severe sanctions and punishments for ship owners and operators who violate the standards or engage in fraudulent practices.

By taking these further steps, China can achieve its goal of eliminating substandard ships and enhancing its maritime safety and environmental protection.

References:

– International Maritime Organization. (2020). Annual Report 2020. Retrieved from https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/Publications/Documents/Annual%20Report%202020.pdf
– Li, K. X., Yin, J., Bang, H. S., & Yang, Z. (2019). Port state control inspections in the Asia-Pacific region: A comparative study of Tokyo MOU and Paris MOU. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 120, 261-273.
– Wang, H., & Chen, S. (2019). China’s green shipbuilding: Policies, practices and prospects. Marine Policy, 99, 275-282.